What the apostle calls "the works of the Torah " ("works of the Law")? The deeds of the righteous? The observation of the Torah and the execution of the commandments given by God? And why he opposes them to "the witness of faithfulness" (literally, the corresponding Greek word sounds" hearing of the faithfulness" or "hearing of faith")? To answer to the question, it is important to know what was implied in the time of Paul under "the works of the Torah". At first, it was about the observation of...
What the apostle calls "the works of the Torah " ("works of the Law")? The deeds of the righteous? The observation of the Torah and the execution of the commandments given by God? And why he opposes them to "the witness of faithfulness" (literally, the corresponding Greek word sounds" hearing of the faithfulness" or "hearing of faith")? To answer to the question, it is important to know what was implied in the time of Paul under "the works of the Torah". At first, it was about the observation of the commandments and about the works of righteousness. But with time, and in the process of a certain formalization of the religious life, so they began to call what today we would define as the religious duties. Here is, Paul opposes these religious duties to the witness of faith (or faithfulness, having in mind another meaning of the corresponding Greek work). In such a context the situation becomes more understandable: on one hand the witness, on the other - the religious duties. And at the same time, become more understandable the words of the apostle addressed to the church of Galatia. In fact, what relation can have the execution or the non-execution of the religious duties in the Kingdom?
Probably, the same like religion, as such. And in this respect, the same Paul always had a quite defined position. He was not of course against religion at all: after all he himself was a religious person, as every Jew of his time. But he was tremendously always against all the attempts to impose the religion to the Church and to his members in particular. The church for him was, according to his own words, "the body of Christ", and not a religious organization. It was composed not of men, professing this or that religion, but of men living in the kingdom. And the Kingdom is opened to all, independently of the religion, to enter there, it is necessary not the religion, but faithfulness to Christ, who brought the Kingdom in the world.
This is necessary and sufficient. And here is, now in the church, according to the sense of what is written by the apostle, there are people, who began to put in first place particularly the religion, the religious duties, as if the religion itself could save someone! And Paul gives to his coreligionists a completely regular, in such a situation, question: when you felt in yourselves the breath of the Kingdom, which made you different, new people, with what was connected this breath for you: with the testimony about Christ and what He has done for our salvation, or with any religion? And if so, then why you put region in the first place? Rhetorical question. And relevant. At all times.
3
3:1 O thoughtless Galatians - He breaks in upon them with a beautiful abruptness. Who hath bewitched you - Thus to contradict both your own reason and experience. Before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been as evidently set forth - By our preaching, as if he had been crucified among you.
3:2 This only would I learn of you - That is, this one argument might convince you. Did ye receive the witness and the fruit of the Spirit by performing the works of the law, or by hearing of and receiving faith?
3:3 Are ye so thoughtless - As not to consider what you have yourselves experienced? Having begun in the Spirit - Having set out under the light and power of the Spirit by faith, do ye now, when ye ought to be more spiritual, and more acquainted with the power of faith, expect to be made perfect by the flesh? Do you think to complete either your justification or sanctification, by giving up that faith, and depending on the law, which is a gross and carnal thing when opposed to the gospel?
3:4 Have ye suffered - Both from the zealous Jews and from the heathens. So many things - For adhering to the gospel. In vain - So as to lose all the blessings which ye might have obtained, by enduring to the end. If it be yet in vain - As if he had said, I hope better things, even that ye will endure to the end.
3:5 And, at the present time, Doth he that ministereth the gift of the Spirit to you, and worketh miracles among you, do it by the works of the law - That is, in confirmation of his preaching justification by works, or of his preaching justification by faith?
3:6 Doubtless in confirmation of that grand doctrine, that we are justified by faith, even as Abraham was. The Apostle, both in this and in the epistle to the Romans, makes great use of the instance of Abraham: the rather, because from Abraham the Jews drew their great argument, as they do this day, both for their own continuance in Judaism, and for denying the gentiles to be the church of God. Gen 15:6
3:7 Know then that they who are partakers of his faith, these, and these only, are the sons of Abraham, and therefore heirs of the promises made to him.
3:8 And the scripture - That is, the Holy Spirit, who gave the scripture. Foreseeing that God would justify the gentiles also by faith, declared before - So great is the excellency and fulness of the scripture, that all the things which can ever be controverted are therein both foreseen and determined. In or through thee - As the father of the Messiah, shall all the nations be blessed. Gen 12:3
3:9 So then all they, and they only, who are of faith - Who truly believe. Are blessed with faithful Abraham - Receive the blessing as he did, namely, by faith.
3:10 They only receive it. For as many as are of the works of the law - As God deals with on that footing, only on the terms the law proposes, are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all the things which are written in the law. Who continueth not in all the things - So it requires what no man can perform, namely, perfect, uninterrupted, and perpetual obedience. Deu 27:26
3:11 But that none is justified by his obedience to the law in the sight of God - Whatever may be done in the sight of man, is farther evident from the words of Habakkuk, The just shall live by faith - That is, the man who is accounted just or righteous before God, shall continue in a state of acceptance, life, and salvation, by faith. This is the way God hath chosen. Hab 2:4.
3:12 And the law is not of faith - But quite opposite to it: it does not say, Believe; but, Do. Lev 18:5
3:13 Christ - Christ alone. The abruptness of the sentence shows an holy indignation at those who reject so great a blessing. Hath redeemed us - Whether Jews or gentiles, at an high price. From the curse of the law - The curse of God, which the law denounces against alltransgressors of it. Being made a curse for us - Taking the curse upon himself, that we might be delivered from it, willingly submitting to that death which the law pronounces peculiarly accursed. Deu 21:23.
3:14 That the blessing of Abraham - The blessing promised to him. Might come on the gentiles - Also.That we - Who believe, whether Jews or gentiles. Might receive the promise of the Spirit - Which includes all the other promises. Through faith - Not by works; for faith looks wholly to the promise.